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FRANK C. LAURI/Staff Photographer
Crestwood linebacker Frank Aigeldinger (3) puts a hit on Berwick quarterback C.J. Curry during their 2012 opener at Crestwood. The Comets pay a visit to Crispin Field tonight, facing the Bulldogs in the season-opener for both schools.

One game does not a season make.

That statement couldn't be more true for the Berwick and Crestwood football teams.

Even though it has been a whale of a season-opening matchup in recent years, the team that has lost the Crestwood-Berwick opener has still gone on to do great things.

In 2011, The Comets knocked off the Bulldogs 19-6 in the opener. Berwick rolled from there to claim an Eastern Conference championship.

Last season, Berwick dumped Crestwood 48-21 on opening night. The Comets bounced back to win their next six games and reached the District 2 Class 3A playoffs once again.

Tonight, the two meet again at Crispin Field. One will leave 0-1, and it probably won't matter by the time they look back on the game in Week 10.

"We know they're a good football team. We know if we lose the game, we're going to learn a lot from it," stated Greg Myers, now in his eighth season as the Comets' head coach.

"Last year proved that. We went on to win six in a row. Two years ago, we beat them in the opener and they went on to win the Eastern Conference championship. I think it's just a credit to the programs.

"It's great to come out of the blocks 1-0 against a very good football team, but I also think it's a loss that you can learn a lot from. I like the tough opener," Myers added. "I think it's a great measuring stick on what you've got, and it can really set up the rest of your season."

The Comets will no doubt have their hands full in Berwick tonight, as legendary head coach George Curry has another powerhouse building.

Led by his grandson, senior quarterback C.J. Curry, Coach Curry and the Bulldogs have the firepower to make a return to the D-2 3A finals, where they lost to Abington Heights in a 44-35 shootout in 2012.

The younger Curry completed 85 of 165 passes for 1,581 yards in his first season as a starter, hurling 16 touchdown passes against nine picks.

While the Bulldogs lost star runner Matt Cashman (1,299 yards, 21 TDs) and multi-talented Jeff Steeber (11 total TDs) to graduation, they gained a good runner in Central Columbia transfer Dain Kowalski to fill Cashman's shoes. Andrew Force, a junior wideout, returns after catching seven passes for 294 yards, six of them ending up in the end zone.

"They're a very good football team once again this year," Myers said. "They've got some nice size up front, they're strong, and their skill players are dangerous. We're expecting a pretty good football game."

The Comets have some players of their own returning from last year's 7-4 club that reached the District 2 3A semifinals.

"I think some of the things we do can capitalize on some of the things that they do," Myers said. "I'm sure they're saying the same things.

"If we stay composed and we play disciplined, don't commit a lot of turnovers, I think it could be a pretty good football game."

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